Muzaffar Sheikh was just two-years-old when he went missing during the Gulberg Society massacre that left 69 dead. When he was found in 2008, his name was Vivek Patni.
Gulberg Society massacre was part of the Gujarat communal riots between Hindus and Muslims. Call it fate or kindness of a Hindu couple, Muzaffar was picked from the streets by Vikram Patni, a fish seller, who adopted him and gave him a new name, Vivek. The Patni family lived in a chawl in Ahmedabad's Saraspur locality.
However, activist Teesta Setalvad, who has fought for the justice of Gulberg massacre victims, has claimed that a police constable found the boy and handed him over to the couple without following the due legal procedure.
Following a legal battle between the biological parents and foster parents, the Gujarat High Court decided in favour of his foster parents. A major reason for this decision was that the boy himself refused to go with his biological parents.
The HC also asked both the sides to cooperate in the child's interest. The boy can visit his biological parents from time to time, the court said.
A special court on Thursday held 24 accused guilty and acquitted 36 others from the Gulberg Society case.
A special Ahmedabad court, will today pronounce the quantum of punishment.
(With inputs from PTI)